4 Genius Timberwolves moves President Tim Connelly nailed
By Will Eudy
3. The Rudy Gobert trade
As previously stated, Tim Connelly made a splash almost immediately after beginning as team President when he pulled off the trade for Rudy Gobert. Whether Timberwolves fans liked it or not, Connelly swung for the fences and made it known right away that he would not be conservative in his decision-making.
The biggest reason his move was so polarizing was that he essentially broke up the beloved 2021-22 Timberwolves team. That squad won 46 games and gave the second-seeded Memphis Grizzlies a tough series in the first round of the playoffs. Many fans were hoping the team would run it back with that group the following year.
In reality, Tim Connelly saw what many on the outside looking in could not. Patrick Beverley was aging, Malik Beasley could be a bit one-dimensional at times, and Jarred Vanderbilt lacked the offensive skills to maximize Minnesota's approach on both ends. Connelly saw a path with the potential to level the Timberwolves up in the long term, and he took it.
Yes, the team did surrender a large haul of draft picks. But as time goes on, that decision is only aging better. The ultimate goal for executives is to get their team to the level of a legitimate championship contender, and right now, the Timberwolves are certainly that.